The 3 Critical Moments to Onboard Your Users

Hey, product-preneur!

Getting users to actually use your product feels like watching someone download your app and then ghost you forever. You built the thing, they signed up, but now they're just... gone.

So let's fix your onboarding so you can turn confused first-timers into daily users who actually stick around and pay you.

What's brewing this week:

• 64% of loyal customers purchase more frequently, yet most solopreneurs skip proper onboarding. This week I'm sharing the 3 critical moments that keep new users from bouncing.

• Quick test: open your product and time how long it takes to reach the first "aha" moment. If it's over 60 seconds, this issue is for you.

• Steal this: Welcome nudge + first success + tiny loop = users who come back tomorrow. Duolingo and Slack both nail this approach. (I'll show you how.)

Here’s how I can help:

Async Potion Review — a quick product teardown (website or mobile app) that includes a 15-minute Loom walkthrough and a one-page action plan, delivered within 48 hours.

If I can’t surface three actionable quick wins, you’ll be credited toward a live strategy call.

If you want clarity and a path to cash, schedule a call with me below.

First time reading?

Brewer's Cabinet

OpenAI Sora 2 launches (plus a standalone app)

Use it to prototype 6–10s promo/testimonial clips without a studio.

Stripe drops 40+ updates

New Authorization Boost settings and AI-tunable Radar controls → fewer declines/fraud for solo stores.

LinkedIn adds “Saves” & “Sends” to post analytics

Track real “keep/share” value; double-down on posts people bank or DM.

Potion of the Week

The 3 Critical Moments Your Users Need

Do you want people to use your product?

The answer is obvious, it's a big fat yes.

The sooner a potential customer uses the thing you provide, the sooner you're building loyal fans, getting people hooked, and making your first dollar. All those shiny things you've been dreaming of after starting your own venture.

So how do you get your users to blow through onboarding like they've lost their brakes and are flying through a stop sign at 60mph?

I'll break it down into three phases that turn confused first-timers into daily users.

A loyal customer is like a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

Even if the place gives you the creeps.

A successful onboarding is one of the first steps to building that loyalty. You want users trampling your doors down to march straight into using your product.

64% of loyal customers are more likely to purchase frequently, and 31% are willing to spend more to stay with their brand of choice.

The Magic Sauce

1. Welcome Nudge

Ask 1–3 multiple-choice microsurvey questions and auto-personalize defaults to cut down time to value. Keep only what's most critical to your business. Don't worry about a full tour here.

Example: Have them pick their goal when using your product, or their role, to get a tailored setup.

2. First Success

Prefill sample data or nudge their first actions so that one core action completes in 60 seconds. Don't try to make users import data or integrate tools before this.

Example: Show a starter board or sample task if you have a task/work tracker like Asana or ClickUp.

3. Tiny Loop

Add a recurring small win (streak or daily check) and gentle reminders to build early habits. Be subtle like a ninja and avoid punishing your users. You want to encourage them and water them like the delicate flowers they are.

Example: Duolingo's streak loop keeps people coming back for more. Nobody wants to demolish their 100-day streak (I sure didn't).

Bonus Tip

Minimize friction by limiting fields, using single-column forms, and showing progress. Simpler layouts improve completion and reduce interruptions. Think back to the last time you signed up for something. I bet you were more inclined to sign up if you could create an account without needing a credit card.

Avoid running long and generic tours of your product

Stop the snooze fest and get people in the door.

Embed contextual tips that appear at the time of the event, not before they use the damn thing.

Once you're established and have a successful product, learn which early behaviors predict retention, and then reinforce them. Define an activation event, such as creating their first project (depends on your product). Track users who did the key action in week one vs. those who didn't.

Analytics show key behaviors that lead to key insights that can increase conversions, revenue, etc. It doesn't have to be complicated.

Remember this one thing: 86% of your potential users stay loyal to brands that invest in welcoming, educational onboarding content.

Prime Examples

Duolingo sets a daily goal and reinforces streaks from setup to create an immediate habit loop.

Slack guided setup, sensible defaults, and interactive first tasks reduce decision fatigue and show value fast.

Corking Things Up

Turn ugly designs into $10K clients — guaranteed

Being a solo founder can be confusing, so let’s bring you clarity and cash together. I'll identify the issues hindering your business. Together, we'll create a prioritized action plan, working weekly for a month to ensure you have a clear path forward.

If you don't find value in our first session, I'll refund your money.

Don’t miss me too much, I’ll see ya next week! 👋 

— Dana

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